Detroit has help, but no money, for new police chief search

Nov. 29, 2012

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Detroit Free Press Staff Writer

The Detroit Board of Police Commissioners lined up two firms to help find the city's new police chief -- but the city has no money to conduct the search, an official said.

"Someone has called time-out in our game," the Rev. Jerome Warfield, chairman of the police board, said earlier this week.

Warfield said the board was informed last week that the money was not available.

Anthony Neely, a spokesman for Mayor Dave Bing's office, issued a brief statement Thursday evening: "Mayor Bing is committed to completing the city's search for a new police chief, in accordance with the guidelines of the City Charter. We continue to seek funds to pay for the search process."

At its meeting Thursday, the board pledged that it is looking for funds and is working with Bing's office and outside sources.

The city charter, revised last year, now calls for the board to find police chief candidates from whom the mayor will choose. The appointment is subject to City Council approval.

Last month, the board voted to begin negotiations with two firms -- Empco of Troy and TJA Staffing Services of Detroit -- to help conduct a search that Warfield estimated would cost between $63,000 and $69,000.

The new chief will replace Ralph Godbee Jr., who retired in October after it was revealed that he had an affair with a subordinate.

At a news conference earlier this month, Bing announced a Police Department reorganization that calls for the appointment of two new assistant chiefs and an estimated savings of $1 million a year, but the board has not approved the plan.

On Thursday, promotions once again came up before the board, which said it first has to review and receive information about officers slated for promotion.

Earlier in the week, Warfield said it didn't make sense to approve the reorganization.

"I can't see us approving a reorganization plan that adds two assistant chiefs of police without having the money to search for the chief of police," he said.